Introduction to Course
A. Introduce Professor
B. Course Purpose: The purpose of this course is to explore what archaeology can teach us about the past so that these lessons can be applied in the future.
C. Course Description: The course is an introduction to archaeology through a study of a number of discoveries and the researchers who made them. Emphasis is on the nature of archaeological inquiry and what these discoveries reveal about humanity, including the development of human social groups, the changing role of religion in evolving societies, the origins of agriculture, the origins of settled lifeways, the rise of cities and complex societies, political strife across different cultures, and the forces which tend to fragment societies. Examples are drawn from a variety of sources from South America, Central America, and North America.
D. Course objectives: By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Identify archaeology as a scientific pursuit, describing the methods and tools archaeologists use to interpret the past.
- Document and describe evidence of occupation in the Americas.
- Describe social structures, cultural traditions, religious ideologies, and subsistence patterns using examples of past cultures from the Americas.
- Describe major cultural traditions in North America (e.g., Mississippian, Southwest, Paleoindian/Archaic, Hopewell etc.), Central America (Mesoamerica) (Olmec, Maya, Teotihuacan, Aztec etc.), and South America (Andes: Chavin, Moche, Inca, Chinchorro, Tiwanaku etc.).
E. Course format:
- Introduce Mesa Community College (MCC) anthropology Web area and
others:
Mesa Community College Anthropology.
New World Cultures, Minnesota State University, Mankato, EMuseum (2003c). - Lectures, videos, slides, small group and class discussion.
- Class activities.
- Evaluations: reflections, class activities, current events, extra credit opportunities (see Syllabus for assignments).
- Current Events: At the beginning of at least one class period each week, include a "News of the Day" segment: news can be from articles students have brought in or those identified by the instructor; articles can be from newspapers, magazines, television news shows, radio shows, or the Internet. Students either bring in the article, the Web address, or source of information. The idea is to have students recognize that archaeology is a part of their lives, whether they know it or not. It also allows you to discuss how archaeology and anthropology is portrayed in the media. Also include a discussion of "how do they know this" or "where do they get that idea from." "Anthropology in the News," Texas A&M University Department of Anthropology (2004).
- Readings and Web-based resources.
F. Questions about the course?
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